The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Blood sky every mornin'
Shoulda seen the warnin'
Captain to the seamen
Man your battle stations
Poseidon's on a mission
'Bout to turn it up to eleven
Blood sky every mornin (all hands on all hands on deck)
Shoulda seen the warnin (woulda, coulda, shoulda, shoulda)
Poseidon's on a mission (brace yourself, brace yourself)
'Bout to turn it up to 11 (brace yourself, brace yourself for 12)
Captain to the seamen (come the gales, mind the sails)
Assume impact positions (all hands on all hands on deck)
Toss the extras over (Women n children women n children first)
Bout to take on water (Bail, sailor, bail bail bail)
Poseidon's on a mission (brace yourself, brace yourself)
'Bout to turn it up to 11 (brace yourself, brace yourself for 12)
Shoulda seen the warnin'
Captain to the seamen
Man your battle stations
Poseidon's on a mission
'Bout to turn it up to eleven
Blood sky every mornin (all hands on all hands on deck)
Shoulda seen the warnin (woulda, coulda, shoulda, shoulda)
Poseidon's on a mission (brace yourself, brace yourself)
'Bout to turn it up to 11 (brace yourself, brace yourself for 12)
Captain to the seamen (come the gales, mind the sails)
Assume impact positions (all hands on all hands on deck)
Toss the extras over (Women n children women n children first)
Bout to take on water (Bail, sailor, bail bail bail)
Poseidon's on a mission (brace yourself, brace yourself)
'Bout to turn it up to 11 (brace yourself, brace yourself for 12)
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This song is about impending Armageddon from a sailor's point of view. Like others have said, its lyrics harken back to Tool's Aenema, with similar chanting to its "Learn to Swim; Learn to Swim."
Captain to the Seaman Assume crash positions Toss the extras over About to take on water
Blood sky every mornin' (All hands on deck, all hands on deck) Shoulda seen the warnin' (Coulda, shoulda) Poseidon's on a mission (Brace yourself, brace yourself) 'Bout to turn it up to eleven ... ... Brace yourself, brace yourself [at] twelve.
The numbers 11-12 refer to the Doomsday Clock in Chicago, with 12 o'clock representing the end of the world. From Wikipedia: "Originally, the clock analogy represented the threat of global nuclear war; however, since 2007 it has also reflected climate-changing technologies and 'new developments in the life sciences that could inflict irrevocable harm.'"
This should be familiar to anybody who has watched the motion picture "Watchmen" (2009). The most recent officially announced setting – five minutes to midnight (11:55pm) – was made on 10 January 2012.
The song's reference to Poseidon is also a clue to the song's meaning. Poseidon was also known as the Earth Shaker and was a God of destruction (earthquakes and tidal waves).
Toss the extras over ... ... Women and children first (Women and children first) Bail sailor, Bail, Bail, Bail (Bail, bail, bail)
This part of the song suggests that women and children are the primary victims of the world's disasters and problems, which today are brought on by economic instability, war, government ineptitude and unrestrained damage to the environment.
The use of the line "Bail sailor, Bail Bail" reminded me of the current state of banking in the United States and its near collapse in 2008-2010, but that could merely be coincidence.
While this isn't as complex as a Tool song, I think its lyrics and tone are equally poetic.